Apparatus for feeding compression molds for cigar fillers



Aug. 19, 19.41. c. F. RBER APPARATUS FOR FEEDING COMPRESSION MOLDS FOR CIGAR FILLERS Filed Sept. 29. 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ug. 19, 1941. Q F RBER u 2,253,050

APPARATUS FOR FEEDING COMPRESSION MLDS FOR CIGAR FILLERS Filed Sept. 29, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 RTT@ KN EY- Patented Aug. 19, 1941 APPARATUS FOR FEEDING COMPRESSION MOLDS FOR CIGAR FILLERS Constantin Friedrich Rber, Dresden, Germany, assigner, by mesne assignments, to J. C. Muller N. V., Rotterdam, Netherlands Application september 29, 1938, serial No. 232,280 In Germany October 20; 1937 5 Claims. (Cl. 214-85) The present invention relates to a vdevice for feeding compression molds for cigar llers either to a machine which fills the molds or to :a machine which removes compressed fillers from the molds. well known type comprising a plate having a series of molding chambers. An object of the invention is to provide feeding means in which a series of superposed molds is fed smoothly and without danger of jamming i and also without undue disturbance of tobacco which may be in the molds.

Another object is to accomplish the feeding of thelowermost mold to a position in which it may readily be seized by the device for with- E drawing the mold from the stack.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention will be more fully described hereinafter, andwill be more particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

`In the drawings, wherein like symbols refer to like or corresponding parts throughout the several views.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the feeding device as applied on an end of a `cigar machine.

Figure 2 is a plan View of the same device.. Figures 3 to 6 are detail views of the feedlng mechanism showing i the cycle of feeding one mold. Referring to Figures l and 2 the invention 1s shown as applied to a cigar machine whlch may be, either the machine for placing tobacco in the compression chambers of the molds or the machine for removing the finished cigars therefrom. The machine has a table I2 upon one end ofwhich the feeding device is supported from a bracket 2l. The feeding device consists in obliquely disposed guides I which are spaced apart and have side portions extending laterally of the molds and connecting portions which are inclined at substantially the angle of the bevels 2 at the ends of the molds 3. The beveled end 2 of the mold 3 rests then upon the connecting portion of the rear guide I which is at the left hand in Figure l. This relation of guides and molds disposes a stack of molds in longitudinally offset superposed relation. rIhe forward edge of a lower mold is in position advanced beyond the forward edge of an overlying mold.

Each of the molds 3 is provided in its upper face near one end with a notch 5. The molds shown are made symmetrically in that both front and back edges are provided with notches,

`bevelsgand a stepped portion later tobeV described. I The machinefor handling the molds lThe molds which are fed are of the? has a device for removing the lowermost from the said stack.` This device consists in an arm Il which has at one end a nger 6 which can dip into the notch 5 of the lowermost mold for the purpose of withdrawing this mold from the stack. The arm II is pivoted to the upper arm of a bell crank lever Ill which inturn is pivotally mounted at 9 upon the frame of the machine. The lower arm of the bell crank lever I0 is connected to the connecting rod 8 which is secured to the crank pin 22 on the driven wheel T. Rotation of the wheel 'I then produces reciprocation of the finger 6. The linger 6 and the arm II must execute a slight movement in the vertical plane in addition to the reciprocating movement in order to engage in the notch 5 of a mold, which movement may be effected by any well known means (not shown) and not forming any part of the present invention.

The guides I have the further constructional features now to be described. The guide I at the feeding side of the stack has its end turned at I3 in Figure 1 to a substantially vertical position. Therefore a mold in the lowermost position has the notch 5 uncovered-to permit free access of the withdrawing linger 6. The same guide at the removal side of the stack is cut off above the table I2 of the machine at a distance to permit the free withdrawal of a mold. In other words the clearance between the bottom of the guidingmember and the upper surface of the table I2 must at least equal the depth of a mold.

The guide I at the rear-of the stack extends down to within a short distance of the table I2. The connecting portion of the guide terminates considerably above the table and is continued by almember I8 which may be integral or separate according to convenience in construction. This member I8 is preferably offset at IB and disposed away from the plane of the connecting portion of the guide. The function of this is obvious when it is considered that the mold slides upon the rear guide I with its beveled edge resting on the connecting portion. When the beveled edge strikes the offset I 8' the mold is projected to the right and the member I8 which is offset from the plane of the rest of the guide serves to project the mold out of the stack so that the notch 5 will be sure to clear the end I3 of the forward guide. It will readily be seen that the forward position of the lowermost mold maybe regulated by the shape of the member I8' and the degree of offset. Preferably the member I8 is `formed of resilientl material. Figlby the weight of the overlying molds.

ures 3 to 6 show the action of the member I8 which is formed of resilient material. Figures 3 and 4 show the offset I8 as the lowermost mold 3 rides up upon it. .Figure 5 shows the member I8 pressed to straight position by the Weight of the mold. Of course the total weight of the mold stack is exerted in part upon this member I8 at this time. Figure 6 shows the member I8 restored to rest position. As soon as the lowermost mold clears the restraining forward guide the resilient nature of the member I8 causes it to project this mold slightly beyond the guide lThe cycle of feeding a mold is brought out in detail in Figures 3 to 6. In Figure 3 one of the compression molds 3 .has already been carried so far out of the stack that its rear edge I5 has nearly cleared the bottom surface I6 of the overlying mold. The overlying mold is here supported upon the edge l5 of the mold being removed and at its rear edge upon the offset I8 of the member I8. When the mold 3 is removed further the condition shown in Figure 4 obtains. Here it wiil be seen that 'the overlying mold has tilted so that its forwardv edge lies closerI to the table i2 than its rear edge. if lat the forward edge of the mold now rests upon the edge I 5 `of the mold being removed. 1n Ya further position of the mold being removed the beveled surface Il rests upon the edge I9 of the mold which is now practically out of the stack. The lowest mold of the stack is now almost upon the surface of the table I2. The bottom surface I6 of this mold is still oblique and 'the spring member I8 is flexed to straight position. Figure 6 shows the lowermost mold after the preceding mold has been removed entirely. This mold has settled upon the table I2. The forward edge of the mold has cleared the lowest part of the forward guide and the member I8 has pushed the mold forwardly to expose the` notch'I to the feeding finger 6.

The cycle disclosed in Figures 3 to 6 illustrates the smoothness with which the molds are placed in position and fed. There is no sudden dropping and the whole operation is performed as a sliding operation. The molds do not rest with their entire weight upon each other. A good portion of the weight is borne by the rear guide which supports the rear beveled edges 2 of the molds. As the molds descend in the stack due to the removal of lower molds they are projected gradually toward the feeding position due to the beveled shape of the guides. When finally the mold reaches the position next to the last it is supported until the stepped end of the receding mold reaches the region of the beveled forward edge. In this position the beveled edge rides successively down the two steps of the preceding mold and the entire mold is slid into position on the surface of the table I2. In its fin-al motion the` mold clears the forward guide and the member I8 imparts a slight shove to it to eject it partially from the stack. If the member I8 is not made resilient thermold is partly ejected by the change in angle of the member with respect to the guide and Tobacco carried in the molds is not subjected to shocks which would produce loosening and the molds themselves are likewise protectedfrom damage.

The details of the cigar machine and the ma- ;ohine for dealing with the molds after they are removed from the stack are omitted because they have no place in this invention. Likewise the details of the device for removing the lowermost y mold are omitted because they are well known The oblique bevel and the invention which resides in the feeding of the molds is not dependent upon any particular structure for removing the lowest mold.

It is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made in the details of construction and design of the above specifically described embodiment of this invention without departing from the spirit thereof, such changes and modifications being restricted only by the scope of the following claims:

What is claimed is:

1. A device for feeding cigar compression molds to a delivery table comprising two guide members for holding the molds in stacked relation, both guide members having outer flanges extending laterally with the molds and a connecting portion between said flanges, said guide members being obliquely disposed above the table Vrto hold the superposed molds in longitudinally offset relation, the guide member at the forward ends of the molds terminating above said delivery table to permit withdrawal of the lowermost mold, said molds having notches in both the upper front and rear portions thereof, a controllable finger device positioned at the front of said feeding device to engage the said notch of the lowermost mold and thereby project the mold forward upon said delivery table, and a spring element at the base of the rear guide member to urge said lowermost mold forwardly into position where said finger device may engage the notch thereof.

2. In a delivery device, a magazine having front and rear walls inclined downwardly and forwardly in ythe direction of delivery of the articles, said front and rear walls adapted to cause the stack of articles in the magazine toassume a stepped relation, the front wall having a cutaway portion forming a delivery opening at its lower forward portion horizontally opposite the lower inclined portion of the rear wall which is adapted to automatically guide the lowermost article toward the delivery opening, and compressible resilient means located at the lower portion of the rear wall in alinement with the descending articles adapted to be initially compressed by the articles until the lowermost article arrives opposite said delivery opening and is released from the confinement of the front wall whereupon said compressed resilient means is allowed to lzinetically expand and move a portion of the article through said delivery opening.

3. In a delivery device, a magazine for containing in stacked form the articles to be delivered Vthrough Ithe delivery Iopening when the articles arrive opposite such opening.

4. In-a delivery device, an inclined magazine for holding a stack of articles to be delivered with the article below offset forwardly in the direction of delivery as respects the article immediately above it, said magazine having a delivery openingat the lower front portion thereof and having a rear inclined portion disposed opposite said delivery opening, and an inclined guiding element in the magazine opposite said delivery opening positioned in the path of the articles and disposed.

at a greater angle to the vertical than the inclination yof the magazine and so constructed and arranged with relation to the descending stack of articles and to said delivery opening that said guiding element is adapted to cause the lowermost article to automatically ride down the same incident to the superincumbent weight of the stack and the forward outwardly stepped portion of the lowermost article to be projected through said delivery opening, said inclined guiding element being flexible and resilient. n

5. In a delivery device for molds having sockets in their upper delivery ends, an inclined magazine for holding the molds in a stepped stack, said magazine having a delivery opening in its forward lower portion, operative delivery means in the magazine adapted to cause the ejection of the socketed. delivery end of the lowermost mold through the delivery opening, and an arm operatively mounted above the plane of the delivery opening and having a linger extending down therefrom for engaging the socket in the delivery end of the mold for withdrawing the mold completely from the magazine.

CONSTANTIN FRIEDRICH RBER. 

